


Love, Bread and Fascism (or The Rise of Ren)

by weirdifferent



Series: Love, Bread and Fascism [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Angst and Tragedy, Bad Humor, Bad Parenting, Daddy Issues, F/M, Fear, Female Friendship, Funny, Hate to Love, Humor, Love, Love/Hate, Original Character(s), Power Dynamics, Tragedy, Tragedy/Comedy, Violence, fascist dystopia, funny scoundrel trope, there are real-life curse words for added humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:55:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26864002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weirdifferent/pseuds/weirdifferent
Summary: In a Galaxy where Ben Solo never died, the Republic was restored; he and Rey developed a romantic relationship and she birthed a daughter, Faree. However, the mask hidden under the bed soon prompted the old hatred; they both turned to Dark Side and against each other, until Rey was killed by Detearaan, a powerful Force User. After that, Kylo Ren took the valiant warrior as his apprentice. But then, after a year of the unlikely alliance, Kylo is determined to take his revenge against Detearaan...And little more than a decade later, Faree is working as a bartender somewhere around the Galaxy, splashing customers around with drinks and being overall a bit too suspect.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Love, Bread and Fascism [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1969897
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Year: 42 ABY

"To answer the question. The issues you have presented have right to be discussed; but I will not dwell on the details."

Dete closed his eyes, and then whispered:

"If it is possible to ask... my family..."

Kylo Ren made no movement.

Dete kept his eyes closed, with only pain in his body: his arms were on his back and his neck clenched down.

Then, Kylo Ren looked at a guard and said:

"Bring them here."

Dete's eyes clenched and pushed out tears, as he saw his figure walk down the room.

He saw the guard precede his mother, father and brother at the entrance, as they were handled by stormtroopers.

"Control your feelings" Kylo commanded.

Dete held back other tears, as he saw his parents look at him.

"Contrary to what many have thought, there is no honour in deceit. It is simply a means to an end. Although I am no stranger to it, deceit, when commonly used, is a sign of cowardice. A sign of weakness."

Kylo strutted back to him.

"Your family was taken in to testify to your rise to power."

Dete's eyes popped up as he said that.

"Stand up."

He got on his feet, faintly brushing the ground with his hand.

"My current position I owe to you. I am grateful, not because of a single moment, but thanks to your uninterrupted closeness. Your presence is of upmost importance for me to exert my dominance."

Dete looked up to him.

"You are still undergoing important training necessary for your advancement in battle, but you are more crucial to this war than any other."

"I now believe I know why." Dete stated, looking for resoluteness in his voice.

Kylo Ren now stood firm, in front of him.

He shivered.

"This knowledge should not alter your role, nor your disposition."

Dete swallowed, as he was starting to sweat profusely and his hands kept trembling.

"Follow me. Guards, bring them along."

The guards pushed his family forward, as Dete closely followed Kylo: many doors were opened, then closed. Eventually, he moved away part of a wall, revealing a hole. They all crawled inside, reaching a temple-like lab, at which centre was a beautifully decorated mausoleum.

"Now, leave."

The guards were dismissed, and Dete's family stayed there, near the corner, watching in horror.

With a wave of his hand, Kylo made the decoration disappear: inside a black coffin, with shimmering stars at each side, was Rey.

Dete could not look away.

Her clothes were still torn by the slashes of his lightsaber.

"The greatest relationship is always based on hatred and fear. The more the hatred, the more the attraction; the more the fear, the more the want to maintain the bond. Without hatred, there is no attraction; and without fear, one will annihilate the other."

Dete felt hollow. His hands scraped his clothes, and didn't feel his body inside.

"And now... it is precisely the lack of fear that threatens our relationship. That, confronted with the quantity of hatred, puts it at very high risk."

Kylo turned to the coffin.

"While... WE did not hate or fear each other enough. Since I had met her, I had started to feel the pull to the Light. She reminded me of the Jedi values Skywalker had taught me, and she persuaded me to pursue them again. Eventually, she succeeded."

"These values were those of respect, admiration, modesty and courage. These are not to be rejected as a whole: but we were also taught to banish fear and hatred. By the nature of our relationship, that was not possible: by the strenght of our spite for those feelings we were separated... until those feelings had us reunited."

"It was but a full month of reconciliation. That month, I asked her hand in marriage. She accepted; this never changed. She never ceased to be my wife, and has been for six years. Until her death."

Dete closed his eyes again, not feeling his chest.

"The Light had tamed us. We would often pretend; but the truth always hit. This prevented us from being together."

"One of the Jedi's biggest mistakes was spreading belief that love, pure love, not plagued by passion, counters hate. It does not. Real love causes passion, and therefore, hate. When it doesn't, it takes a different name, that is pity. And pity was the feeling the Jedi endorsed to control the Galaxy. Why would one take being pitied over being hated? The latter is a compliment and the former an insult. The fear of pity brought me to where I am now."

"Supreme Leader…"

"Forget it. I do not pity YOU, Detearaan. I have never pitied YOU." Kylo replied, in a quick release of anger "I have already talked about this."

"…I understand. I just wanted to ask what is the purpose of our current meeting, in this chamber."

Kylo nodded.

"You'll see."

Still on his knees, Dete tried to see something more, as he saw him approach the tomb.

"When you delivered the deadly blow to her… I thanked you. It was the sincerest gratitude. Not only did you defeat my greatest enemy at last, but YOU allowed me to feel hatred and fear in a way I had never experienced before."

He delicately touched the glass with the tips of his fingers, while intensely looking at her.

"He had felt it too, towards Darth Sidious. And this made him strong… but not strong enough to defeat him alone. Especially, not strong enough to undo what he had done."  
  
Dete clenched his teeth, and pushed his boot harder on the floor, as Kylo turned to him again.

"But I am."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A group of Jedi, who've long been battling the warmongering dictator, have found a secret plan through which they allegedly could try and diminish Kylo's power to save Detearaan... among them is Hansa, a Human, and one of the most important liberty warriors of her generation, albeit sometimes fooled by her own character: she is Detearaan's former partner and hellbent on bringing him back; Zax, Hansa's hard-to-impress friend who always finds humour in any situation; Sasele and Temiri, two young Zabrak brothers both powerful in the Force, and a resourceful little droid called CX-0. Will they succeed?

Hansa, Zax, Temiri and Sasele were in.

CX-0 had gone on to see if the road was clear.

"Can't it be quicker…" Hansa insisted, sliding near the wall.

Temiri signed silence with his hand… then they finally found the generator for the hidden chamber, and deactivated it.

Kylo was going to push onto the glass, when the door opened and Dete's family was able to flee. He charged against him with his lighstaber raised and managed to make him fall.

"We'll see!"

With another strike, he broke the tomb and tore Rey's body in half.

"IT WORKED!" Hansa yelled to Temiri.

"CX-0, you have the map?"

The droid beeped and they all followed him running.

Dete took Kylo's mask and tore it away in anger: he then looked at him in the eyes, as he was panting copiously.

"Look at me. Look at me! I defeated you! Without your secret tomb, you are done! Your augmented powers are gone! YOU are mine to TAKE!"

Kylo shook his head, in confusion.

"I knew about the plans, and now you are done. Make to sure to look at me, when I kill you."

"They should be here" Hansa stated, running to the platform: but then they were welcomed by a horde of stormtroopers.

Dete was delivering the hit, when suddenly he was stopped.

Kylo had merely raised his hand, and he could not continue.

His eyes were fire against his, his jaw was clenched, as he effortlessly threw him away.

Kylo then put Rey's body back together with another gesture and restored the tomb.

Dete felt like suffocating. It wasn't possible.

"Those plans were gorgeous" Kylo confirmed "Very well done. Convenient. It's such a hopeful, promising new generation of Jedi. So fortunate to have them at this point in time..."

He raised his hand again, to bring him in front of him.

He was still without his mask: looked at Dete's face, grunted, then giggled, breathing air right in his face. Dete turned his head in disgust.

"What did I say?"

A group of stormtroopers entered the room and pushed Dete's family to the ground.

"It is all thanks to you."

That said, he pushed him back, pulled them forward, ignited his lighstaber and decapitated all three of them in one blow.

Dete froze.

The heads fell near him.

Kylo turned around towards the tomb again, with his lightsaber still activated. He then stood still, clenching his fist.

"A quick, sure victory is akin to a deadly slumber. The hardships are what make it all better. I had to resort to… an illusion of victory for you…"

His fist was trembling, as he felt the power swell within him.

"And now, after one year and a half of slavery, the expectation and the dread you felt at every threat… they will not match it. You have never suffered before this."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We've seen the love and fascism: let's put the "bread" in the title.  
> More than a decade later, Kylo and Rey's daughter is making it working as a bartender and Hansa and Zax are looking for her. But she's not good at her job and humour ensues.  
> Warning: curses may be not be kriffing Star Wars-y, but, since some sentences wouldn't hit the same, we opted for the added comic effect.

Year: 55 ABY

"Faree Nunami… the blonde pretty girl who works for the New Order?"

"What?" Hansa was confused.

The guy laughed, bringing his gloved dirty hand to his chin.

"Yeah, everybody's pretty sure she's on their side. She kinda spills everything on them though. One time I talked to her, told her I was going to Booerin; and she got really scared and immediately told me not to go. When I asked why, she suddenly smiled and said 'well, there's snow now, it's so cold!'. But Booerin is a fucking snow planet, so I just figured, maybe she likes me, and maybe she knows something I don't."

"Hm…"

"Why do you ask? You like her too?" the guy asked Zax.

"Oh… no, no."

"Yeah, I get you. She's real cute, but her voice is that annoying high pitch; also, she's not the best in the brain department. Smiles all the time while talking about stupid shit. You have to repeat yourself like ten times before she gets what you're saying. Oh, and she's really messed up in the head."

"What? Why do you say that?"

"Well, we're sure she works for the New Order because she talks about destruction and people dying like it's fucking nothing. I mean, she's all sweet and nice, but… once I talked about how one of my friends from Doha died after a New Order attack, and she answered something like: 'I'm really sorry for that… but, see it this way: those brown buildings were awful! It's not that bad that they got taken down, yeah?' And I mean, I didn't really get mad at her because she did look sympathetic. It was like the most genuine, compassionate response she could come up with."

"It's her." Hansa confirmed to Zax.

"Oh, so she is with the New Order?"

"We don't know, we just got word of her. Standing by what you said, probably."

"Wait… yeah, you two work for the Resistance, right? I mean, I guess she's good to take. She'll tell you everything without even knowing. I mean, she's a dumb bitch, but I'm kinda sorry I'll never see her again."

"Don't be" Zax patted him on the shoulder "You really don't want to see her again."

They went in the bar, leaving the guy confused. Amidst the noise, the music, and the constantly moving people, there she was, strikingly similar to her mother, patiently talking to a pair of angry Weequay. Then, she absent-mindedly raised her eyes, and saw Hansa walking.  
She seemed immediately drawn to the lightsaber: and then, instead of fleeing, she rushed to them, accidentally pushing down a screaming Sullustan, to whom she apologised.

Hansa and Zax looked at each other in confusion.

"You are… Jedi?!" she articulated, with immense joy in her eyes and holding her hands together "Really?!"

"Yes. You are Faree Nunami, right?"

"Yes… wait, you came for me?"

The girl looked like she was about to cry… but out of happiness.

"I can't believe it… the day has come. I knew it! Yes! Yes! I want to join you! Can I hold your lightsaber there?"

A whole table of smugglers laughed beside her.

"It's not funny!" she protested "Can I hold it, though? Just for a second?"

She moved her hand forward, as Zax furrowed his brows.

"Wait… no, that's not…"

"No? What is it then? I mean… you weren't looking for me?"

"Listen. We know who you are."

"What?" immediately, she started looking around in worry "What do you know? I… I just work here. I'm not doing anything bad, I swear!"  
"Apart from concealing New Order secret plans."

"No, I don't conceal them. I reveal them! I save people!" Faree retorted, with serious concern "He doesn't know I'm doing this. Or how I'm doing it, at least."

"Who?" Hansa got closer to her face "He as in … him?"

"Yes, of course, him. I mean, I can be on your side. I already am! HE, on the other hand, never really let me do anything. That's because he doesn't want me to fight for what I believe in. But I was born with it too, and he's afraid that I'll go against him, and so I will. "

Hansa and Zax looked at each other, sincerely surprised.

"You're really sure about that?"

"Yes! Yes, I am sure! Now, can I please join you? I already know how to build my lightsaber. I promise, I won't bother you too much!"

"What did he mean with 'it'?"

"The Force. I mean, imagine that: how can I not be born with it?"

"Yeah, that's… crazy."

Hansa looked at Zax. He was starting to be slightly amused.

"Of course it's crazy! And you know what? He won't even let me have a job in the New Order! I mean… sorry, I know what you're thinking. But I'm not doing anything bad if I serve in the canteen. Well, he said he'd prefer I wouldn't do it. That's why I ended up here. If he doesn't want me, I don't want to beg."

Hansa couldn't believe what she was hearing. Zax was on the verge of tears from holding back laughter.

"What?" she asked him, looking slightly offended.

"Oh, nothing…"

"It is a funny story, actually. I'm happy that you like it" she answered, with a smile.

"Yeah. The kind of funny stories you have with a genocidal father that killed almost all of us." Hansa retorted.

Suddenly, Faree took her hand and started caressing it.

"Listen, I know. I am sorry. I will make up for it. You want to sit down? What can I bring you? I improved so much at making drinks, yesterday. Turns out, you just have to put charcoal powder in!"

"Are you serious?" Hansa turned to Zax, who was kind of sadly laughing.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" Faree reiterated, with what seemed sincere displeasure "But for now, I can only think of drinks. There's not a lot I can do… maybe you have some ideas? What would make you feel better?"

"Can't really say." Hansa said, fuming.

"You want me to leave?" Faree offered, with badly-hidden disappointment.

"Well, I don't know at his point."

"FAREE! HASKOLSWERAWA!"

What looked like the owner of the place came and slightly pushed her arm.

"Yes, yes, I know! I'm working!" She replied "Fire me later, wait a second!"

"Looking good today" someone said, passing by.

"Yes, you too." she retorted, with a passive-aggressive smile and a dirty look.

Then, she turned again to Hansa and Zax.

"So, you want some drinks? I swear, I'll do anything. It might take me five times, but they will turn out perfect. And then, maybe… you can think about letting me be a Jedi."

"Two of Shaewar. We'll think about it." Zax confirmed, letting her go.

"Ok!" she agreed, still jumping with excitement "I promise, they will be good! If they're not, you can kill… oh, wait… kiill somebody who looks like me, ok?"

As soon as she turned around and walked away, Hansa turned to him in shock.

"It's worse than I thought."

"Listen… let her join us. It does look like she resents him, in her own way."

"In a dumb way, yes. I agree that we need the information, but she's clearly a double-edged sword. And what about her wanting to be a Jedi at all costs?"

"We can give her some training. She'll realise it herself, eventually."

"What do you think she knows, exactly?"

"I think a lot. But she has her own perception of everything. She is in her own completely different realm… but we heard her. She's willing to fight against him. Why not take advantage of it?" Zax commented, as Faree made a whole pile of glasses fall on the ground.

"FAREE! ASCNAORLATSAO!"

"Yes, I know. I'll clean!"

"Lakktor."

"Yes. One Lakktor for you, I get it."

"TOORR!"

"Do you like it mopped off the floor? If not, wait!"

"Hey."

The same guy who talked to Zax and Hansa came up to her, closely hiding.

"Hey. What do you need?"

"Listen. I can't stay here for long. Those two: they want to get you."

"Yes, I know, they're Jedi. They want me to come with them."

"Jedi?!" the guy was amazed "Alright. We're leaving."

"I can't. I'm going with them! I always told you, I wanted to be a Jedi too."

"Ree, you WILL go to jail. They want to know about the New Order."

"I'll tell them, it's fine. I want to help."

"Did they ever say you weren't going to jail?"

"… maybe. I don't remember."

"Ree, listen, maybe they will arrest you, but they won't get ME. I just went ahead and told them a whole bunch of lies. They'll kill me."  
"Then you help them too."

"What… Faree, what the hell are you on about?"

"I don't know what you got from me, Vorah, but I'm NOT with the New Order anymore. I don't want to be: I have my reasons. Maybe I'll come back, but not now."

"Faree… I don't know if you got it".

Suddenly he raised a gun against her.

"If you don't leave with me right now, I WILL make you leave."

Faree's mouth opened, as she remained perfectly calm and continued preparing her drink.

"Yeah, I wouldn't do that."

"How so?"

"The New Order has nothing to gain from it."

"By eliminating a threat? Either way, I'm turning you in."

"Nothing will change" Faree quietly insisted, adding the charcoal powder "You're wasting your time. Just flee, please."

"That's it-"

Suddenly, Zax appeared behind him.

"You thought you were smart, huh?"

"I added just the right amount. They're going to be great!" she nodded, smiling as Zax was holding him back with his lightsaber.

"You're crazy" Vorah told Faree "I will have my revenge. I promise you. They'll know I was caught… and will track you back!"

"Good luck with that! The Supreme Leader already knows I'm spying on him."

As soon as she named him, everybody turned around.

"What?" Zax was confused "He knows?"

"Yes… what?" Vorah added himself "He… the Supreme… knows about you? What are you on about?"

"Of course he knows. It's almost impossible he doesn't. He checks on me everywhere I go, the spies are not hard to find. I just have fun with them at this point. I suppose he doesn't care."

"What is she…"

"I'll bring him away. Hansa is going to be here with you, for the remainder of the time."

"No! What about your drink?" she yelled "Ok, I'll remake it later. Now I'll get Hansa hers, and… yes, they're over there. I can bring them a  
Shaewar too."

She pointed at some cloaked individuals in the back of the place.

"Those are the spies?"

"I'll just go and ask. They're nice, more often than not. And they were pointing their gun at you, you know, Vorah. You want to say thank you, I'll give you a drink."

"You're not stupid. You just play stupid. I don't get what game you're playing with the New Order… but they will get you."

"Bye bye!"

She greeted him, as Zax brought him away.

"Ok…" Faree carefully took the flaming glasses, and then she almost dropped it on Hansa's lap.

"I'm sorry. But it's good. You'll see."

Hansa nodded, as she referred to the spies with her hands.

"No!" Faree exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand "He'll send the whole army. Just leave them. I'll bring them drinks and we'll have a chat."

"But he's going to know-"

"What I want him to know. That I'm with you. Right? Ok. I'm done talking about this. For now. How is the drink, then?! Did the effort pay off or not?"

She sat down in front of her, looking at her lightsaber.

"I asked you something, before. Can I… can I hold it?"

Hansa looked at her hopeful eyes; then she rolled hers and handed it to her, while still holding it herself.

Faree lit up: she smiled, and looked like she was about to cry; trembling from joy, her fingers shivering against the handle.

"Thank you. Seriously, thank you so much!"

And she hugged her, still holding it with her hand. A bit wary, Hansa kept holding it too, and they ended up in a very uncomfortable postion.

"I could never do it at home. Thank you. It feels great. I can't wait to have my own and… oh! Adventures everywhere, with beautiful planets and other creatures! I was born for this!"

Hansa nodded, trying to keep a brave face: she tried to feel Force sensitivity coming from her, but she perceived nothing.


	4. Chapter 4

Faree was shivering with joy. Hansa had a quick look and she had shimmering, glowing eyes. that sincerity was so conflicting with reality that, when the hug stopped, Hansa immediately averted her gaze from her face. 

“Thank you. Thank you! Just... let me serve those two over there and maybe we can leave together. I’m so happy you came for me! I mean, I don’t think you will imprison me now. Well, unless you think it’s worth risking being killed… so I suppose you won’t. I’m so sorry if you wanted to. But... I’ll do ANYTHING you want and I can do to help, and we’ll become friends!”

Hansa let out a small sigh.  
“If you behave, maybe.”

“OF COURSE I’LL BEHAVE! It’s not like any other Jedi will be knocking at my door soon besides you: they’re all dead!” again, she yelled, making a few heads turn “Unless Dad comes tomorrow and tells me he’s done with destroying the Galaxy, or that I can work in his canteen, I’m all yours!”

“Dad” Hansa repeated, with amusingly concealed disgust “Yes… the Galaxy and your job are on the same level of importance, are they?”

“To me, yeah. I don’t really know what you mean, but… I guess so.”

“… great.”

But Faree had already gone to the spies.

“Hello.”

“Good evening.”

“Your drinks.” She handed the glasses to them. 

“We know about the Jedi.”

“Yes?” Faree shrugged “So what? I can’t even look at his lightsaber.”

“Maybe it can be arranged.”

“Come back and tell me more. But I know he’s lying and I don’t care. Tell him that I want that new dress from Castilon. The one with the crystal colour straps. And to feed my Narglatch more, he’s not looking too healthy from what I’ve seen.”

The spies mumbled something incomprehensible.  
“What was that? A yes? He knows what I’m talking about. And maybe at least he can spare that planet, what’s it called… yes, Castilon, I said it two seconds ago! Because I need that dress. And I need people wearing the dress so that I know how to wear it.”

“Castilon holds a very important strategic position. If we invaded it-“

“He knows I don’t care. Just like he doesn’t care. What’s one less? They’re winning anyway.”

The spies looked distressed, but they looked like they agreed.

“Good. And tell him that I love him, please. Thank you.”

“…Yes.”

She nodded encouragingly, and went back to Hansa.

“So, are you done talking? What did you tell them?”

“Ok, listen: they’re planning an attack on Castilon. I told them to spare it because I want a dress I’ve seen like one month ago. Here, here, I’ll show it to you on the Datapad somewhere…”

“What?” Hans was amazed “We have to send a message then. There are Resistance forces there!”

“Yeah, yeah, sure! Great!”

“Ok, you need to tell me more.”

“Yes, wait a second… here’s the dress.” She showcased it “So? How do you like it? There is the strapless version. I’m still in time, I can go and ask for two.”

Hansa impatiently closed her eyes.

“No. Not THE DRESS. The people, there, yes?”

“Oh yes, of course, the people! You can send a message, right? I mean, like from here?”

“Yes. Yes we can. Now, let’s leave this place.”

“What? No, sorry, I have to finish my shift! Boshu already wants to fire me-“

“There is no time to waste. You have to tell us the other things you know.”

“Other things… yeah, another attack for next week. But you have more time, and it’s a solitary planet, nobody lives there. I think… I hope. But now, would you please let me finish my shift? There’s really nothing else right now. It’s like in one, two months, but they change idea all the time anyway!”

“They change idea because HE knows you spill on all of their plans” Hansa almost calmly explained “And the spies are inside, so they probably heard us. Can we go now?”

“No, no, you don’t get it. Can you please let me finish my shift, Jedi? I will explain EVERYTHING, I promise you.”

Hansa attempted to slap her face, but then put her hand flat on the table.

“Alright. Go. I’ll wait for Zax here.”

Faree immediately left her, running to the desk: Boshu bent over on the desk and started yelling at her.

“What? What?! I’m here, I swear, I’m-“

But Boshu kept yelling and then threw the glass she had in her hand on the floor.

“Well, NOW that wasn’t me.”

He answered with a loud roar.

“Yes, the rest of it was me... I’m sorry, Boshu, please don’t-NO-“

He then grabbed her apron and tore it apart, and then proceeded to physically tear away half of her hair.

As Faree fell, Hansa rose to her feet and came beside her, as the owner was still yelling; she ignited her lightsaber.

“Now you stop.”

The girl looked at her from the floor, in complete awe, her eyes watery, completely silent.

Seeing the lighstaber, the huge alien held his head with his hands and flinched until reaching the wall, mumbling something.

“What is he saying?” Hansa asked.

Faree shook her head, reaching for her torn hair all on the floor.

Everybody just stood and watched, as the girl slowly got up and looked at him, her face completely red.

“She won’t kill just you because she’s a Jedi” she stated “Because she’s nice, unlike you…”

The alien dropped his arms to his waist, relieved.

“… and me.”

Hansa heard some movement in the back. She was sure it was the spies.

“Daughter of Kylo Ren, our Great Supreme Leader-”

She was interrupted by everyone screaming. 

Hansa was shocked.

They all left, but she looked completely unfazed.

“And I’m not nice, therefore… you…”

Faree came up to him, seemingly taking something out of her pocket…

“Therefore, you won’t have me here anymore.”

… it was the card with her name on it.

“I quit. I’m done doing your bidding. You have nothing nice to say and you say it anyways. You badmouth me only because I’m clumsy. Then DON’T make me work with glasses all the time, it’s not that hard! I know I put fire on accident to the place three times. I know I exploded it on accident because of that tank. I know customers vomit my drinks. I know it’s only been two months. It is a frustration for you, I get it. But I come to work because I NEED A JOB! Shouldn’t that be rewarded, even if I’m bad at it? At least I WANT IT! And now, now this!” She held her torn hair “I have to go to Xanarte to get my hair back, but I don’t want to go there. You have to ride on muddy streets to get to the centre. You think I like mud? Nobody does! And by the way, you don’t pay me enough to afford it. Next time, think about it before you do it to someone else. Who wants to see a hairless woman giving them drinks? Yeah, I don’t think so. You’re not a very good businessman. You’re not a businessman, period. You just stay there and yell at me. Just me, out of everyone. Just because I’m the only one who isn’t good at the job; and just because they begged you to keep me because technically I’m with the New Order. Well, guess what? You could have fired me anyways! What is five years of prison? Or ten, or fifteen? How long do you live for?”

He mumbled something.

“You are fifty-four and you should live one more year. Fine, ok. You see, prison would have been a nice place to rest for one year. It’s peaceful, isn’t it? Well, guess what! Now you’re not going there anymore! Yes, just because you liked my hair! Isn’t it crazy, to DIE for that? I think it is. But I don’t have a choice. Shouldn’t have torn it off. I could have given you some if you had asked nicely! Many people have before. I mean, EVEN Vorah pointed a gun at me and he’s still alive somehow. It really wasn’t that hard, Boshu!”

“What are you… executing him?” Hansa asked her, in disbelief.

“What, me? Of course not! Spies, don’t shoot. Let him go” she said. Immediately, Boshu was off and away into nothingness.

“So what was all that about?”

“A warning, of course! I don’t want to execute anyone, I would NEVER do that! The ‘daughter of’ thing was meant to scare him away. I mean, I do hope he dies, but I also hope he   
hides and that he gets to live his last year in peace. Yeah, I really don’t know what I want, personally. But… they” and she looked at the spies “cannot NOT tell my dad that this happened.”

“Yes. Flawless logic. You have a lot on your hands.”

Faree then physically grabbed her hands.

“Thank you for the gesture. I… am so grateful for what you did, you can’t even imagine it. Because… you made me feel not alone. Because I am, all the time. It’s… incredible. Now   
I have someone to talk to… for the first time, ever.”

She looked so intensely grateful, she even kissed her hands. 

Hansa was absolutely flabbergasted; but also swept over by a sense of compassion, that somehow she managed to inspire in her. Even though she was by no means innocent… it was like she wanted to be. Zax was right. Her mind was cleaning itself. She was heading in the right direction… and with their help, she would have understood more.   
More often than not, Hansa felt like a bad Jedi. But now… she felt so much better. Feeling compassion for Faree gave her trust in her own capacities and her own strenght. 

“… yes” she finally agreed “Yes. Sure. You have me, and Zax. And we have you.”

“Yes… wait a second.”

She turned to the spies, trying to comb her remaining hair the best that she could. “Can you ask him about the place in the canteen again? Number 3400? And have him send me a   
ship to Xanarte tomorrow?”

“Wait… what, what are you doing?!” Hansa took her by the shoulder.

“Nothing, it’s not important.”

“Faree, we can’t let you follow the Jedi” one of them stated.

“You can’t stop me, either. Too bad. So, will you tell him? Or I’ll tell him that YOU didn’t tell him!”

The two had their weapons raised.

“You will NOT follow the Jedi.”

Faree was shocked.

“No… no, you can’t do that!”

At that point, Hansa struck down one of them; the other one hid behind the desk, as she jumped over, disarmed him and struck him too.

Faree was on the verge of tears.

“No, no… why did you…”

“You will understand, ok? Now let’s go. Zax hasn’t returned…”

“Maybe he’s hurt. And now you will be hurt too” Faree was devastated.

“He isn’t. We’ll see. Let’s go, ok?"


	5. Chapter 5

“Listen… how is your head now?”

Hansa checked the girl’s scalp, and saw an horrible red patch, with various cuts and enlargements because of the ripping.

“We’ll get you a medic.”

“No, no medic for now” Faree replied, crying “I know… I hate that I lost my hair, but it’s not safe…”

Hansa jumped on a speeder.

“Maybe crouch beside me, alright?”

Faree obeyed.

“It’ll be fine. We just… have to find him.”

“There is a chance that Vorah’s guys ambushed them” Faree then attempted.

“Guys? He has guys?”

“Yes, but they’re a gang, not proper militants. They cooperate with the New Order, though, and he’s their leader. They find out who’s with the Resistance and reap the rewards, like more money or not getting chased down by guards. I don’t think they’re a match for a Jedi, but they probably slowed him down.”

Hansa nodded, guiding through.

“Anyway… I’m- I’m scared. I don’t understand why you beat down the spies. Now I’m hairless, in pain, a traitor, and in even more trouble, I can’t-“

“I should have just let them shoot you, maybe?”

“WHAT?! NO! OF COURSE they wouldn’t have shot me! They’re Sana and Kol, they know me! They weren’t Gier and Daoi, or Xauht; they are the nicest; but Sana bought me a mirror once.”

“They were not backing down” Hansa smiled. “And you just revealed the names all his personal spies for me. Thank you.”

“I have the other names too if you need them. I mean, at this point…”

“Yes. You have to understand that at this point, you can’t really go back and play two sides. You said you want to be with us.”

“I know, but… I’m not convinced yet. I can’t be.”

“Don’t worry. You will be.”

Faree crouched down a bit more, then raised her head.

“Wait… Hansa’s your name, right?”

“Yes. Why?”

Faree just remained silent.

“What?”

“I swear, I just remembered. You… are the one who came back for him, aren’t you? For… Detearaan?”

Upon hearing that name, Faree stopped the ship.

She couldn’t believe she… HIS daughter… had just…

“I’m so sorry for you. You… you loved him, right?”

And she was insisting.

“Ok. That’s enough. If you want to join us, you will not name HIM, EVER again…”

“I just wanted to say-“

“Yes. I understood what you said. But you weren’t involved in that, so don’t involve yourself in it… because if you say something ridiculously insensitive, like you usually do, ABOUT THIS, it’s not going to be fine.”

“I just said I’m sorry! Sorry. I never want to be insensitive. I won’t say anything else. ”

Hansa’s chest had become so tight she couldn’t breathe.

“I can’t believe I’m letting you stay after that.”

“Yes, I understand. I’m sorry.”

Hansa again turned to her.

She was speaking in a slightly feisty way.

“What?! Why do you say it like that?!”

“No, no. Just, sorry… I don’t know what else to say. Forgive me.”

Faree backed down, and sounded sweet as ever.

Hansa just decided to brush it off for the sake of finding Zax.

“They should be near here. Finally.”

They jumped off the ship and started walking down an abandoned street… then something, a voice inside her head, which sounded just like Faree, resonated: 

__

_“But, you know, Dete… killed Mom **first**. It’s his fault if she’s dead… I was six, when he allowed the New Order to be born…”_

“Vorah and his guys used to do some really disgusting stuff.”

Faree’s real voice woke her up.

“…Vorah? The guy you talked to?”

She nodded.

“They used to have speeder races, and then at the end make all the losers chew rotten mutant flesh and swallow it… for fun. Now, how is that fun, I don’t know. Don’t ask. And the worst thing is, once I rode with Vorah on his speeder. And he lost, after promising me not to a million times, obviously; so I was supposed to eat the rancid meat too. I told them that I was willing to die right there and now rather than even touch it; and so he ate it for me. I mean, now I’m rethinking everything: I suppose Vorah has been useful, like… sometimes. But he never treated me very well. I’m pretty sure he’s only ever liked me for my looks. And… yeah, I liked him because he’s bad. I guess that was enough.”

“Yes. Don’t talk too much, Faree, ok? How’s your head doing? Look… over there, a first aid kit.”

Hansa opened it, found a bandage and started applying it to her reddened scalp.

“Thank you.” The girl replied, with baggy eyes and dry tears on her cheeks.

Hansa now found it really hard to look at her… but she had to keep going.

They heard some voices…

They found Zax with his lightsaber ignited in front of Vorah and the other gang members. They were all disarmed.


	6. Chapter 6

Hansa immediately joined Zax, while Vorah turned to Faree.

“What in the world are you doing?”

“I know you want to defect, Vorah. Don’t be stupid. Surrender now and let’s go somewhere else. Somewhere nicer, I can’t stand these streets anymore.”

“What? No!”

“Come on. What good has the New Order ever been to you? ”

“My paycheck?!” Vorah blurted out “And if somehow you are HIS daughter, of all people who knows why, and never told me, least you can do is you go and you tell him about them!”

“I am WITH them!” she replied “They SAVED ME! You POINTED A GUN AT ME, and you’re asking ME FOR THINGS?!”

“You did TOO!”

“IT DOESN’T MATTER! GIVE UP, VORAH!”

“And you tell me who’s gonna give me money, then?!”

“Oh, you think you’re SO useful and important to the Great Supreme Leader, huh? So much that he’ll feed YOU forever, even if you didn’t even manage to control YOUR OWN district on YOUR OWN PLANET! That creep, Hoff’Mola is beating you to that, and he works with him too! WAKE UP, VORAH! You think he would send TROOPS to save YOU?! You got caught, they’re not going to waste any more resources than they already have! That said, give up now and find another job already. Zax and Hansa are nice, they’ll let you go. I mean, if I am looking for a job, it’s only fair you do too.”

“HE’S letting me go?” Vorah asked, stunned.

“Please do” she pleaded, turning to Zax “He’s not going to cause any more trouble. At least, not voluntarily.”

“Well, he and his guys weren’t that harmless.They managed to slow me down a lot.”

“They work better in life or death situations” Faree explained “They could even be useful to you… if you hire them…”

“Hired by a Jedi? Faree, WHAT?! They have money to pay me with?!”

“The Resistance has, of course! If you conscript to the army.”

“YOU KIDDING ME? THEY’RE LOSING!”

“So you don’t care about switching sides for me. I should have expected that.”

“Do WE have a word in all of this?!” Hansa protested.

“Of course, of course! I’m sorry” Faree apologised, bowing her head down “It’s just… I told you, I still care about him. Who knows why, honestly.”

“You know what, Faree? I’d say you are a fucking mastermind… except that you’re pitting yourself against the New Order for no reason whatsoever and you can’t hold a gun to save your life!”

“And how I would you know that?”

“I’VE SEEN IT!”

“Well, maybe I can and I’ve never shown it.”

“Faree. You were holding it upside down.”

“Ok, maybe I can’t. But I AM strong with the Force, and THEY will teach me how to express it. You will see, I’ll show it to you!”

“Yeah, no. I mean, I don’t know much, but if you were strong with the Force and your father is KYLO REN you would have it figured out already!”

“Do not go there, Vorah, you know nothing about that and I will not explain myself to you. I saved you, just thank me and get over it. If they don’t want to hire you in the Resistance, you can still go and sell your disgusting eggs.”

“They’re not hiring you if you don’t want to be hired” Zax explained in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Yeah, exactly. I don’t want to be hired by the Resistance, are you kidding? Wait… Faree, what the fuck happened to your head?!”

“Ohhh! You noticed? I was asking myself how longer it would take you!” Faree lamented screaming “Of course Boshu fired me because I crashed too many glasses and wasn’t working half of the time. He wanted my hair and he tore it away. Now he’s gone.”

“What do you mean, gone?”

“Gone” Faree replied, nodding “I don’t know what I mean either. It’s up to him, honestly.”

“Yeah, good talk, but what are we supposed to do?” said one of the gang suddenly.

“Keep out of trouble” Hansa proclaimed “We don’t have any more time to lose on this.”

Zax nodded, as he had them go away slowly.

“Alright… it’s really over, then” Vorah said, more and more confused as he saw them go. “You’re all breaking my heart, boys, seriously.”

“Go and sell your eggs. You’ll feel better” Zax suggested, with a smirk “Althought it’s not really a legal trade, is it? So I suppose not.”

Vorah looked infuriated for a second, then he retorted:

“No, no, it’s legal! It’s Fassown eggs. They’ve been selling them at retail for ages. They’re certified by the New Order bureau!”

“No, I don’t even think those ones are legal anymore.”

“Thanks again, Ree. Managed to ruin my life twice in less than an hour this time.”  
The girl now looked really, really embarassed.

“I mean… you could have been more convincing. And you could close an eye on all of this, couldn’t you?”

“No… Vorah, listen” Zax put his hand on his shoulder “I know you’re not that commited to our values, but the Resistance could use another man. You won’t regret it, I assure you.”  
Faree immediately nodded on his behalf, with hopeful eyes.

“I’d rather go and lick shit off Speeders.”

“You can do that for us, too.” Hansa proposed “And we really don’t trust you walking around with the new information you have. So it’s pretty much an order at this point.”

“If you put it that way…” Vorah shrugged, jumping on Faree with fake excitement “Let’s all go and become Jedi together!”

“Not you. Just me.” she replied, turning quickly to Zax and Hansa with a huge smile right: “Right?!” 

“Sure!” Zax answered.

She clapped her hands, laughing.

“I still can’t believe it, I- AAH! I’ll jump on trees and do somersaults! And fight beasts! And kill terrorists!”

“Oh. Is that what a Jedi is?”

“Of course! You’ve been living under a rock or what?!”


	7. Chapter 7

Vorah and Faree were walking behind Zax and Hansa, when she suddenly stopped to look at some plants. As soon as she started to talk to them and about them out loud, Vorah just left her alone and went straight to the Jedi.

“Listen. Maybe I missed out on something, but you two… you seriously believe her when she says she’s the Supreme Leader’s daughter?”

“We’re not going to discuss this now” Hansa replied.

“Well, I’d like to know, since I am the one who’s going to be with her all the fucking time. She speaks a lot of nonsense already, I kind of want to know how to shut her up.”

“We have to get to the ship.”

“Alright. Listen, you two have no idea, but I have known her for a VERY long time, alright? She pulls a new one out of her ass every day, believe me. She once said she owns a baby Narglatch in a far away home, and that apparently she has it KILLED every month by a full crew of people because it grows too much and is not cute anymore, and they always get her a new one. Each fucking month!”

“What…?” Hansa turned to Zax.

“That’s… probably… true” he was speechless.

“What?!”

She was still far behind, talking to the plants.

“So yes. You believe everything she says. Therefore, she says the most absurd thing in the world and you believe it. And those two were not random guys she knew, but New Order SPIES! Who are letting her go with Jedi from the Resistance!”

“We did not hear it from her first. And I beat down the spies.”

“As if there would be not be more spies following us, as we speak. Seriously?!”

“That confuses us too. But we’re not questioning it now, or with you. Instead, would you answer a pair of questions for us, while she’s still gone?”  
Hansa came alongisde him.

“Does she leave Darelia regularly?”

“Every two weeks… yes. But it was because she visits her parents.”

“Exactly” Hansa nodded “Does she mention where she is going exactly?”

“Hutton. That’s where they live.”

“Yes. We are going there now. How long is she usually gone?”

“Two days, every time.”

“Alright. Anyway, Faree hasn’t seen her adoptive parents in a long time. They kicked her out and she had to look for a house and a job on her own.”

“I knew that but… they are adoptive? And she told me she did see them...”

“Yes. She didn’t. She was going somewhere else instead. Does she own a ship?”

“Yes. I mean… yes. Actually, she’s not good at all in the simulations, but a droid helps her fly it apparently.”

“Have you ever seen her actually fly her ship?”

“Uhm… no, never.”

“That’s because she doesn’t own one, nor knows how to fly one. Without someone picking her up she is stranded here. Have you seen a TIE fighter fly close to the ground about every two weeks?”

Vorah’s mouth was gradually opening.

“Sometimes. Yes.”

“And she somehow was headed towards it, every time.”

Vorah just stood silent.

“And she seems to always have strangely precise New Order insider information, despite clearly not being a higher-up.”

“You are bullshitting. You have to.”

“We are not. We are dealing with it, and you have to be on board with that. You have a relationship with her, and that is important to our case.”

“Not… not anymore! I’m not in a relationship, I’ve never been in a-”

“Hey!”

Suddenly she jumped on Vorah’s back, and they almost fell to the ground.

“What? You can’t listen to the plants, and can’t even hold me straight, now?”

He just let her wrap her arms around his chest, in silence.

“Those planties were nice, anyway. But the little beasts keep destroying and infesting them. They’d need a good caretaker. I need to bring them some nutrients next time. Remind me, ok?”

Vorah closed his eyes, and shabbily walked forward, as she grabbed tighter onto him.

“I would have taken some charcoal powder from Boshu, but the place has closed down and what was left is on the floor…”

“You-“

“What?” Faree was confused “Oh, and by the way, my dad doesn’t know I have a boyfriend.”

“I’mnot-“

Hansa eyed him severely, as she continued. 

“Actually, I promised him I would NEVER have a boyfriend in my life.”

Vorah was now sweating profusely.

“You told him-“

“Yes. It’s not like that he wouldn’t allow me to have one, but it’s more comfortable that way. And even if I told him the truth, I honestly think that he would hate you. So, now that you know, please keep a low profile.”

Vorah was now in pain and utterly desperate.

“We have never-“

“What?

Hansa eyed him again.

“You… you… have NEVER thought of mentioning all of this to me…?”

“It was better that way.”

“And…” Vorah swallowed “…the piggyback thing… you are visible… maybe…”

“Oh, yeah. Right” Faree immediately got down “Sorry about that. I didn’t think about it!”

“You didn’t think… about it. Just didn’t think about it. HAHA!”

“What? Why are you laughing?”

“Get on board!” Hansa yelled from afar. She and Zax were on the ship.

“Oh! This is so beautiful, I’ve never seen one like this before!”

Vorah panicked, as he covered his mouth with his hand and looked at something on the ground.

“Hey” Faree called him, going up with them “Are you coming?”

“OH NO! I’m not coming!”

“Don’t be stupid, Vorah. Come.”


	8. Chapter 8

“I can’t believe it!”  


Faree was jumping all around, as Hansa was trying to fly the ship.

“I’ll meet all of the Jedi and make plenty of new friends! Vorah, aren’t you excited for me?!”

Vorah, who until then had been quietly cringing in the corner, just slightly moved his head forward in response.

“What’s that face? You’ve been acting weird since I came back from the plants.”

“Really? I wouldn’t know!”

“Oh, of course you wouldn’t.”

“Listen. I don’t want to hear your voice anymore, and I’m dead serious.”

“Why?”

Hansa turned around to respond something from the control room, but she bit her tongue.

“Because you are the most annoying person that’s ever lived.”

Vorah’s words were quite satisfying anyway.

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you.”

“How?” Vorah was sincerely shocked “How, exactly?”

“Well… you’re very annoying when you say I am!”. 

“Shut up, you two. I don’t need this background noise while managing the ship.” 

Zax made a sign with his hands suggesting them to cut if off.

“But we ARE going to meet the Jedi?” Faree couldn’t contain herself.

“Sure we are.”

“Oh. YESSS!”

Faree hopped slightly, looking starstruck.

“Wait… but how can you be Jedi, without a Jedi Master?” Vorah questioned.

“You’re pretty well-informed for a lowlife scumbag” Hansa commented dryly.

“Hey, calm down with the compliments!”

“You’re welcome. Ben Solo and Rey were Temiri’s and Daho Kan’s Masters, before turning to the Dark Side.”

And with that, Faree’s joy seemed to vanish.

“They taught them how to build lightsabers and the basic technique. But, soon enough, they were gone trying to conquer the Galaxy.”

“That’s not… exactly how it went” Faree retorted.

“What?”

“Nevermind… you wouldn’t get it.”

“I’m pretty sure I get it. Your parents got high on power.”

“Yes, sure…” Faree just shrugged it off.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. Your version’s not gonna cut it here.”

“My parents both had a very difficult life-“

“I’ve had a difficult life too, but you’re still intact, so… that won’t work.”

Faree sighed. 

“If that’s how you want it.” 

She left, to go to the window alone.

“You’re not gonna tell me I was harsh, are you?” Hansa scoffed at Zax.

“You do know it’s not her fault.”

“Of course. She’s just getting on my nerves, obviously. Her parents… destroyed everything we had. What I had. You don’t expect me to forget that, do you?”

“We can’t. But we need her to help us. She is on the right path and we must keep her there.”

“I know, Zax. I know.”

“Here we are!”

Hansa landed the ship, while Faree was running everywhere, shuddering with excitement.

“This is it. It’s the best moment of my life! I’m SO HAPPY!”

Hansa lowered the bridge and opened the door, and she hopped out of it without a word.

Temiri, Sasele and Farraks were standing there; she got shy and just stood there, until she decided to call them for help.

“Hansa, Zax, you’re not coming out?” 

“We must leave immediately. We have another place to go. Vorah will stay with you.”

Faree snorted at the news, then yelled:

“COME OUT, VORAH! BE POLITE AND HELP ME GREET THESE JEDI!”

They were still standing awkwardly there, as she softly smiled and waved. 

“Welcome to Sazar. I’m Temiri, and these are Sasele and Farraks.”

“Oh boy” Faree held her head “It’s really you… I’ve heard and seen so much! The battle on Vovodera and the Twin Stars… you are what everyone talks about where I work! You really do exist!”

Meanwhile, Vorah unwillingly got out of the ship.

“I’m so honoured that you chose me to join you as a Jedi. I don’t know if I can live up to your expectations - I’m nowhere near as good as my mother or my father, but I hope I can become an asset to your team!”

“I’m Vorah.”

“Yeah, he’s Vorah. Please ignore everything he says, he has no manners.” 

“Because you do.”

“Of course I do! I used to work as a bartender-“

“Used to?! Literally five seconds ago!” Vorah was speechless.

“Well, it was important to correctly deal with clients so that they would return. And I had to learn a fair amount of languages to get by and speak to everyone, so I can definitely help with that! And you know what else? I’d be perfect as a negotiator. I can play any sort of double agent role you want me to play.”

“She can’t hold a gun to save her life, though.”

“I can… learn!”

“We’ll see what you can do, Faree. For now, it’s important that you tell us what you know regarding your father’s dealings.”


End file.
